Police: Former mayor tried to lure children into car

SARAH SCINTO, STAFF WRITER
/
Published: July 28, 2017

Share This

EDWARD BUTKIEWICZ

A former teacher and Nanticoke mayor who served probation in the past for indecent assault and corruption of minors was arrested Wednesday after police said he attempted to lure children into his car and pay them to let him do “weird” things.

Newport Twp. police arrested Edward Butkiewicz, 76, on Wednesday after children along Rock Street in Glen Lyon reported he had, on multiple occasions, tried to lure various children into his vehicle by offering them money. Court documents say Butkiewicz lives in Mountain Top.

A 13-year-old boy first reported Butkiewicz on July 23, according to police.

The boy told police he was in the parking lot of an apartment complex when a silver car with a handicap registration tag drove up to him. The driver, an older male later identified as Butkiewicz, first asked the boy if there were any bars in the area.

The boy said Butkiewicz then asked about his “private area” and if he could see it, and said he would do things to him that the boy called “weird,” police said.

Butkiewicz offered the boy money to get in his car and go for a ride and $3 to keep his secret, police said. When the boy refused, police said Butkiewicz left and told the boy he’d be back. The boy told his mother about the incident and she called 911, police said.

Police were called back to Rock Street on Wednesday for a report of the same man allegedly trying to lure children into his car, this time in a burgundy SUV.

A 16-year-old boy told officers Butkiewicz had also approached him on Sunday and Wednesday. The first time, Butkiewicz drove up to him at the intersection of Rock and East Main streets and asked if he was gay and wanted to make money.

On Wednesday, the teen said Butkiewicz drove up at the intersection of West Main and Market streets in Glen Lyon and asked him and another 16-year-old male if they wanted to make money.

The teens told police Butkiewicz followed them into the Rock Street apartment complex where they called 911, and told the 13-year-old boy and his sister.

Butkiewicz started shouting for the 13-year-old, then grabbed one of the 16-year-olds by the arm, police said.

Butkiewicz tried to leave the apartment complex but a juvenile female and a man pulled their car in front of his, pretending it had broken down to stall Butkiewicz until police arrived.

Butkiewicz admitted to being in the neighborhood in a silver car on Sunday and admitted to offering the 13-year-old boy money. He denied trying to lure the boy into his car, police said.

When police cuffed Butkiewicz, he resisted and pushed back against the arresting officer, cutting his hand.

He was arraigned Wednesday evening by on-duty Magisterial District Judge Alexandra Kokura Kravitz, who ordered him jailed in the Luzerne County Correctional Facility in lieu of $100,000 cash bail. Butkiewicz posted bail Thursday morning and was released, a prison official said.

Butkiewicz, a retired elementary school teacher in the Nanticoke Area School District, served two years of probation after he was arrested for indecent assault and corruption of minors in 2003.

In that case, a former student of Butkiewicz’s told police he had pulled up to him in a white Jeep and asked him if he needed a ride. The boy accepted because he thought Butkiewicz was a “nice guy,” police said.

The boy told police Butkiewicz touched his genitals while they drove through Nanticoke and Hanover Twp.

Butkiewicz pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of indecent assault in the 2003 case and was sentenced to two years probation. By that time, he had served 30 years as a teacher and served terms as a Nanticoke City councilman and mayor.

Butkiewicz will appear for a preliminary hearing on his recent charges at 1 p.m. Aug. 2 before Magisterial District Judge Donald Whittaker.

Contact the writer:

sscinto@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2048, @sscintoCV

We welcome user discussion on our site, under the following guidelines:

To comment you must first create a profile and sign-in with a verified DISQUS account or social network ID. Sign up here.

Comments in violation of the rules will be denied, and repeat violators will be banned. Please help police the community by flagging offensive comments for our moderators to review. By posting a comment, you agree to our full terms and conditions. Click here to read terms and conditions.